Tim Puro writes:

Groop,

A lady brought me a three legged drop leaf table she inherited. She

has asked me to clean up the table AND repair the split on the top.

The top is made up of tongue and groove boards laid up in a

triangular pattern.  As the top has moved over time, one of the glue

joints has opened up to about 1/8".  At the "wide" end of the split,

you can move the two "sides" of the table quite a bit.

I have a few thoughts on repair. One thought is to cut two small

wedges of walnut and glue (hide glue or hot melt) them on the top

and bottom of the split.  Remember, this split is along a tongue and

groove joint.  Or I could fill the split with a semi pliable material

like a Mohawk Plane Stick on top and bottom. However I'm not

sure the plane stick would "firm up" the joint.

Before I jump into this repair, I thought I would go to the well and

ask for the Groop's advice on this one.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Tim Puro
Bloomington, Indiana

Tim Puro updates:

Groop,

Thanks to all who provided input on what to do with a triangular table top

with a joint that had opened up because of the table's design.

I decided to cut walnut wedges and insert them on the front and back of the

table and glue them in place with hide glue. The joint would absolutely not

putt back together and the only way to make the top "perfect" again would

have been to disassemble the top and refit the joints.

The attached pictures show the wedge before finishing and the wedge after

finishing and a picture of the entire finished table top.  The gap at the end of

the open joint is filled with hard wax fill.  It is not smooth enough so I am

taking out the wax fill and filling the gap with burn in material.

 

The repair is noticeable, but I think I got a fair color match and the entire

table looks "better" after a good cleaning and padding the lacquer finished

top with Wilpro.  The client didn't want new....we agreed on a "used but

cared for" look and I think I achieved that aim.

Thanks again to all who made suggestions on the repair.  Groop is awesome!

Tim Puro